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Karma Mineral Cosmetics has a new product website! Now you can view our entire range and shop securely with PayPal. If you don’t have a PayPal account you can use credit card or direct deposit. Shop with us for the best quality mineral cosmetics at affordable prices. Take advantage of our risk free sample offer. All of our foundations are available in a sample size so you can trial every finish and find out which type suits you best. As well as foundations, finishing powders and bronzers are available to sample. With every 5 samples purchased you can select another 5 of your choice for free. Select from samples here.

Not many of us are blessed with perfect skin. And a lot of us spend a lot of time on the quest to find the perfect foundation. If we could have the perfect foundation, it would be one that gives us a flawless cover, looks natural and feel light on the skin, right? Have you ever found the perfect foundation only to discover it doesn’t last very long or goes cakey within a few hours? Well, I have 2 words for you – setting powder. Yes, that’s right, setting powder could be just what you are missing!

I know what you’re thinking. What is setting powder? Isn’t it just for people with really shiny skin? Perhaps you thought it was just for use with a liquid foundation? Well the truth is that it is for everyone who wears make-up! Below are the reasons why.

Does your make-up seem to disappear within hours?

Setting powder is designed to seal and bond your base, whether it is a liquid, cream or powder foundation. A light sweep with setting powder or veil will ensure your base is set in place and won’t melt off your skin. This means some skin types will get through the entire day with only a few or less powder touch ups, and not require an afternoon foundation top up at all. What a relief!

Does your skin look shiny, have enlarged pores or fine lines when you wear foundation?

Setting powder not only keeps your base in place, but it helps to fill in any fine lines & enlarged pores, which gives your skin a smoother, less shiny and more even look. A good setting powder will give your skin a velvety, silky looking finish and help keep shine at bay for hours.

Do you skip setting powder because it adds too many layers, feels heavy or drying and worry it will block your pores?

Having grown up with oily skin, I understand the concern a lot of people have about adding another layer to your face, or that the powder will block pores and worsen breakouts. As a teen, I was addicted to using the oil blotting papers from The Body Shop. I thought they were an absolute Godsend. Years later I found out that they are covered with talc, and realised they had been blocking my pores the whole time. The good news is that cosmetics are now being designed with better quality ingredients than ever before, meaning there are more products available which do not contain the ingredients known to block pores or contribute to breakouts. Older formulas contained a lot of talc, which is to be avoided for that very reason. These days formulas are designed with a variety of ingredients, to help soothe, heal and moisturise, depending on your skin type. So powders are a lot more versatile, and while most are still designed as a “one product fits all skin types” formula, some are now giving us the added bonus of catering to specific skin types and requirements.

So, there you have it. Setting powder plays a major role in extending the wear of your foundation and giving you flawless coverage with less caking and shine. Finally, the most important thing to remember is to apply it in light sweeps with a large fluffy brush. This will help avoid the cakey look that can occur when you apply it too heavy or with a dense brush.

Please be aware that some well known brands still contain talc, so always read your cosmetics labels!

View Karma Minerals range of setting powders, which are all free of talc, and come in a variety of finishes to suit specific skin types and requirements.

ALL FREE SAMPLE PACKS GOING OUT IN SEPTEMBER WILL COME WITH A VARIETY OF SETTING POWDERS FROM THE RANGE!

For the months of January & February, when you book and leave a deposit for any of the following services, you will receive cosmetics at your booking – FREE! Don’t delay – no matter what date your occasion is in 2010, book now and leave your deposit to lock in this fantastic offer! Details are as below:

BONUS: book before Feb 5th to receive one free spray for a friend! Friend must be sprayed at same location on same day as the paid booking. Only one bronzer issued per paid booking per customer.

SPECIAL OCCASION MAKE OVER – 1 x full colour make over – $75 plus redeem the cost of your booking against products purchased on the day. Excludes brides and bridesmaid wedding day make-up.

BRIDE/BRIDESMAID MAKE OVER TRIAL – 1 x full colour trial make over – $75 plus redeem the cost of your booking against products purchased on the day – ideal for purchasing your touch up gloss & powder!

To take advantage of the above offers, services and deposits need to be made in January & February, and the balance paid in full on the day of the booking. Make overs require a $50 deposit, spray tans require a $25 to hold your booking. Products will be received at the service, or may be redeemed at a later date if unavailable at time of booking. Deposits will only be refunded if you cancel or reschedule within 24 hours notice of your appointment. Please note, a small travel fee may be incurred if you live outside of a 20km radius of Kew, 3101.

It’s not too lateto make your New Year’s resolution. In fact, it’s never too late to make changes in life, especially ones that are going to make a positive impact on one’s health and well being. The key is making realistic goals in order to stick with them. It’s always a good idea to tell the people you share your life with, so that they can support and encourage you. Another good way is writing them down, or making a “goal board”, where you draw up a chart or find images of what you want to achieve and stick it up on the board. Place it somewhere you can see it regularly, for inspiration. You may have several for different areas of your life. One area a lot of people are making great change in their life is with the amount of “harmful” chemicals they use in everyday living. Fortunately there are so many “green” companies around now, making it easy for us to make the transition to more natural products. I’ve actually found my decision to minimise harmful chemicals from my daily living one of the easiest decisions to follow. Once you make the switch in one area, it seems to snowball and take over the rest of your life.

Small Steps

Start with one section of your life at a time. You might find it easier to start with the household. Decide to finish up or throw out any bottles of cleaners which are full of ammonia, bleach and other ingredients which are not very environmentally friendly or good for us. Switch to brands which are safer, like Earth Choice (available at supermarkets), which is cruelty free, grey water safe and is Australian made and owned. If you wish to further reduce chemical use, you might like to try using some of the following ideas.

Castille soap: this is a cheap yet effective alternative cleanser for use throughout the home as well as for personal use. Generally made from vegetable oils and glycerine, it is gentle and low in lather, making it less drying than soap and great for the environment. Use it to clean dishes, in the laundry wash, to clean your pets and in the shower for personal use on hair and body.

Bicarbonate soda: makes a great cleanser for baked on grime. Apply a small layer across the area and allow to sit and dissolve for a little while, before wiping with a damp sponge. Mix with water to form a paste, then use on extra built up grime around the shower and sinks. Eliminate odours by sprinkling it in the bottom of pet’s litter tray, and keeping a cup of it in the fridge. For lots more excellent ideas using bicarb, click here.

Vinegar: add one part vinegar to four parts of water, in a spray bottle. Use to refresh bench tops, clean grime from the stove, sinks, even in the shower and toilet. Add to hot water in a bucket to clean your floors. Don’t forget the old glass cleaning trick – just use some old newspaper and wipe it on straight from the bottle for a squeaky clean finish on your windows and mirrors.

Essential oils: add a few drops to your clothes wash, and to your vinegar cleaning solution for a fresh and natural uplifting scent.

Incense sticks: these are fantastic for clearing the air when you need to eliminate odours quickly. Living in a flat where the bathroom and toilet are shared, incense has been a very valuable item to have on hand, and is far more effective than any room spray. One good one to try is Nagchampa, available at most $2 style shops.

When you start to make changes in the house, you quickly start wondering about the products you use on yourself. Or perhaps it will happen the other way around, like it did with me. When I first made the switch to natural products, it was when I was using another brand of cosmetics and skincare. Like other big name brands, they brought in their mineral line and got me all excited about them, with their claims of being natural and having skin healing abilities. Being loyal to the brand for many years, I had invested a lot of money on their products, so you can imagine my disappointment when I learned that the products only contained a sprinkling of the hyped up mineral ingredients, and enough nasty additives to completely counter any of the positive effects, rendering them no better than your average synthetic commercial brand. Oh, and they slapped a nicer price tag on them at the same time too, only adding to the sting!

Small change brings big rewards…

With that, I decided I wanted to know what was going into the products I use and not waste any more money on pricey, over hyped brands with outrageous claims and pretty packaging (but oh, how I loved pretty packaging!). I wanted to be sure they were all natural, cruelty free and good for my skin. So began my research on ingredients, and thus my decision to start my own range. I couldn’t believe how many harmful chemicals kept coming up on the labels of products I had been using everyday for my whole life. Ingredients that have been linked to cancer, allergies, irritations, asthma and a host of other health issues. I’ve always suffered from breakouts and rosacea, and was starting to see how likely it was to be linked to the products I use on my skin everyday and the chemicals ingested in foods I eat regularly. I became obsessed with labels and what goes into the products I use, researching everything that I came across. Pretty soon the entire house was stripped of the array of commercially branded goods I was once upon a time so in love with using, and the “green” girl inside of me was coming through. It was at this stage that Karma Mineral Cosmetics & Beauty was created and my quest to deliver a completely natural and Australian beauty brand void of the nasties and the high price tag, began.

My exclusive offer to newsletter readers

Call me biased, but I just love minerals so much that I think everyone should try them, even if only once! And of course I want each and every one of you to experience the wonders of minerals and learn how they can be incorporated into your beauty regime to create a glamorous look for day and night. To say thanks for keeping up with my newsletters, and for showing your support to the Karma brand, I’d like to offer you the following “Mineral Converter Kit” at an exclusive price just for you. Here’s what you get –

Mineral powder foundation (in shade of your choice)– 7gms $42

Mineral setting powder in Translucent – 4gms $32

Mineral Glow in Apricot– mega multi tasking wonder product! 1gm $20

Mineral powder blush (in shade of your choice) – 1.5gms $20

Mineral powder bronzer (in shade of your choice) – 1.5gms $20

Pro kabuki brush – $40

Valued at $174 – you pay only $99 (plus postage) when you purchase before February 15th _ BONUS! – if you purchase before Monday February 8th, you will receive a Luxury Satin Carry-all to fit it all in, absolutely free! Ideal for travelling and large enough to carry your skincare, plus it contains an extra pocket for brushes as well! You won’t need any other cosmetics bag. Carry case displayed below with other products from the Karma range.

Contact me direct to order your kit (include your username -the one you signed up with when you opted in at the newsletter), choose shades and obtain payment details. Paypal and direct deposit is available. Email jolene@karmabeauty.net.au or phone 0438 323 766

Not a subscriber yet? Then sign up today to take advantage on future offers like this one! www.karmabeauty.net.au and click through on the home page to opt-in to our newsletter.

Important: DON’T make the switch to minerals until you know a few things about applying them! They are pigment dense, with strong colours and natural shimmer particles (unless they are matte, in which case they will have less or no shimmer). This gives them wonderful long wearing ability and means that you only require a small amount to get a great result – providing they are applied correctly. If you have tried minerals in the past and wondered what all the fuss is about, or why the shadows don’t look vibrant when you brush them on, it’s highly likely you just haven’t applied them in the right way. Follow my application tips here to get the most out of your mineral range 🙂

We are well on the way to Christmas, with only 21 days left until Ol’ Santa makes his arrival. To help the season’s spirits, Karma Mineral Cosmetics is offering an array of goodies at purse friendly prices, and has a few other surprises in store also.

To get things started, we have a sale on UNTIL midnight Monday December the 7th. Take a peak now and start ticking people off your gift list. There are sets for less than $50, and individual items starting at only $20.

Introducing Karma Mineral Shadows!

I know that plenty of you are patiently awaiting the arrival of the Karma Mineral Shadow range, and I am so excited to tell you that the wait is over! Today an assortment of shadows, in both matte and shimmer finishes, are available in store. Just like the rest of the Karma range, the colour selection will grow as more colours will be introduced shortly. Take a look at the colours here.

Gift Card bonuses:

Giving really does attract good karma! Especially when you shop at Karma Mineral Cosmetics!

Purchase a Karma Gift Card for $50 and receive a bonus $10 credit for yourself.

Purchase a Karma Gift Card for $75 and receive a bonus $20 credit for yourself.

Purchase a Karma Gift Card for $100 and receive a $30 credit bonus for yourself.

For a chance to win the pack, just spend $50 or more storewide between now and midnight, December 7th. The winning entrant will be notified on Tuesday 8th and announced in our following newsletter. View the pack here.

Last but by no means least, I have a new sample system in place to allow you to trial certain products at a low price. The samples are large enough for several days wear and available for every shade of foundation, setting powder as well as a variety pack. Order yours here.

Thanks for all your wonderful feedback, keep it coming! It’s the only way for me to keep bringing you what you want 🙂

I know that plenty of you are patiently awaiting the arrival of the Karma Mineral Shadow range, and I am so excited to tell you that the wait is over! Today an assortment of shadows, in both matte and shimmer finishes, are available in store. Just like the rest of the Karma range, the colour selection will grow as more colours will be introduced shortly. Take a look at the colours here.

Please take some time to read the following notes on how to use mineral make-up, as they are different to conventional cosmetics and require different application techniques to get the most out of them. In this post I also mention some of the types of brushes recommended to use with particular products, to get the best results.

PLEASE NOTE – THE FOLLOWING TIPS WERE WRITTEN WITH SAMPLE BAGS IN MIND, HOWEVER YOU CAN APPLY THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS WHEN USING MINERALS STRAIGHT FROM THE JARS – JUST USE YOUR LID FOR SWIRLING THE POWDERS INTO.

PREPARE YOUR CANVAS (YOUR FACE):

The most important thing is to prep your skin, just as you would before wearing any make-up. This will ensure your products have something to cling to, rather than just sinking straight into your skin. So, to be sure you get the best wear out of your products –

Cleanse, follow with floral water or toner, then moisturise. It’s generally best to let your moisturiser absorb for at least 5 minutes before following up with your foundation.

Foundation:

You will need a kabuki brush or other densely packed brush. I highly recommend the Flat top kabuki. You will also need a good concealing brush for getting into areas where there are folds of skin, such as around the nose.

1.Take your sachet, flick it to get the powder to fall to the bottom of the bag and either pour a little of the powder into your palm or onto a surface.

2. Dip your kabuki into the powder and gently swirl it to cover the entire brush. Shake off the excess powder back into your palm, then tap the bottom of your kabuki onto a hard surface to ensure the powder settles back into the brush. This will prevent you from getting uneven, cakey patches over your face.

3. Take your time to brush the powder on in small sections, moving the brush downwards on your face and rotating the brush as you go so as to get all the powder off the brush. Continue steps 2 and 3 until your full coverage is reached. The key with mineral powder is not to get too much on the brush and to sweep in downward strokes. Generally you will want to start toward centre of the face, which is where you want more coverage, then work your way out to the sides when you have less on the brush. Leave the eye area until the end, as you don’t want much on the brush for this area either. Be sure to close your eyes and be extra gentle around the eye area!

4. To get into areas which are harder to reach with your kabuki, you will need your concealing brush. You can dip it into the dry powder for covering areas around the nose or mouth, or experiment with a slightly dampened brush for gaining extra coverage to areas which require it. For areas which require further coverage still, such as redness from rosacea, brown pigmentation or under eye circles, I recommend using a neutralising colour corrector.

To tell if you have the correct shade, check how the colour looks around your jawline. It should blend into your neck with no tell tale line if it is the right shade for you. Once you have the right shade, it’s amazing how beautiful your base will be, and how even your complexion will look. Always test a new shade in natural light for the best results.

Blush/bronzer:

Some of you may not have discovered the wonders of blush and/or bronzers, but those who have will know how these must have products can be a saviour for adding colour and balance to your face. If you wear a base then a blush is a must, otherwise you can look flat and unhealthy. A sweep of blush and/or bronzer will bring dimension back to you face. Bronzer is a great addition if you want to contour areas such as your cheek bones, jawline and forehead, or add a little more colour to your face, neck and decolletage. You can then apply a small amount of blush to bring a glow to your cheeks, and help the bronzer look more balanced.

You will need a soft brush which is not too dense. I like the whisper brush for soft application of blush and bronzer. Or you may like to use the powder brush which can be used to apply your setting powder also.

To use your sample, pour a small amount of powder out of the bag, into your palm or a makeup jar. DO NOT cover the brush with much powder – it is far more effective to build colour gradually until you know how the product looks on you and what coverage you require. It is always easier to add more colour than it is to take it away once it is on. However – if you do apply too much, simply take your kabuki or flat top and blend over your cheeks to dull the colour.

Brush into the apples of your cheeks, sweeping back towards to hairline. Be sure to blend with your brush, as you don’t want a harsh looking line/stripe of colour. My general rule with blush is that the more pink tones look best on the apples of the cheeks, while the earthy browns and bronzers look best underneath the apples, and anywhere you need to contour, such as to tone down a wide/broad area.

Application tip: When you use mineral shadows, remember that they have a different composition to conventional shadows and need to be applied by patting on and only gently blending, building up colour gradually. Do not over blend or you will lose the intensity of the shadow.

Dip your shadow brushes straight into the sample bag, tapping off the excess back into the bag.

Matte shadows: these are great as a base shadow and can be applied over the entire lid. Use your shadow applicator brush to apply by gently patting across the lid, smudging only lightly so as not to lessen the intensity of the shadow pigment.

To add contour and depth: apply with your shadow blending brush, patting into the outer corners, and upward toward the centre of the eye socket, following the crease and brow bone.

To use as a liner: wet your liner brush slightly (I dip my liner brush into a drop of lavender water which I spray into my hand). Shake out the excess water then dip into the shadow you wish to use as an eye liner.

Chamomile Eye Make-up Remover (Cham EMR):

You will need a cotton tip or make-up remover pad.

To use your sample of Chamomile eye make-up remover, take the inner sachet out of the zip locked bag, hold it between your thumb and forefinger at the seal of the bag. With your other hand, take your thumb and forefinger and pull down from the seal to the end of the bag, repeating a few times to emulsify the liquid. Like most eye make-up cleansers, this is an oil in water solution which requires to be shaken before use.

Either dip a cotton tip straight into the bag, or pour a little of the solution onto a make-up remover pad. This product is so refreshing and nourishing, leaving no greasy afterfeel. I just love it! And it’s safe for contact lense wearers and the most sensitive of eyes.

For more info on this product, including ingredients, visit the link above.

Bronzing lotion:

This is a fantastic, multi tasking product to give an instant dewy glow anywhere you need it.

Just dip a cotton tip or spoon into the bag, spread it onto the back of your hand and apply where you wish. You can use it as a blush, all over the face as a tint, and anywhere on the body. I keep a small sample pot of it in my make-up purse and use it as blush on the go, as it is just so easy to use. And, the best thing about this product is that it gives you a soft coppery glow – no more tandoori! This bronzer washes off with cleanser and water, so is great for days when you need a tan and you don’t have the chance to go get a spray.

Mineral zinc cream 15+:

This is not quite invisible zinc, as it will leave a slight qhosting effect (which is undetectable under your make-up), but this is a great non greasy, all natural sun protection that can be used under your foundation. Be sure to apply your moisturiser first, then follow up with your zinc cream. For the purpose of testing your foundation sample, perhaps you can add the zinc to one side of the face only, so you compare the wear of your foundation with and without this as your base.

Practice, play and experiment. Make-up is a gift and can truly change a persons life by giving them added confidence, elegance and beauty. Your face is your canvas – go paint, have fun….and remember to let me know how you go 😉